Calculating machine



Aug. 27, 1935. E, RACZ 2,012,320

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 "aammnmmmm INVENTOR mes? PaOz M,Y% ATTORNEYS ,Aug. 27, 1935. E. RACZ CALCULATING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ewes? 7iacz BY MW V220 a? ATTORNEYS Aug. 27, 1935. E. RACZ 2,012,320

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed April '8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 RECORD SHEET 23- 30 l WORK SHEET JRN I2 350 V 2 JHN :z 350 Q 76L50JJ 761.50 0 m Plgifi. Ernesi iiaoz BY M 'fi gagns Patented Aug. 21, 1935 lTED USTATES" PATENT OFFICE CALCULATING momma Ernest Racz, Detroit, Mich, asslgnor to Burroughs Adding Machine Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application April 8, 1933, Serial No. 665,05! 17 Claims. (Ci. 197-128) This invention relates to a calculating machine. It is directed particularly to the paper handling equipment of such a machine although it also concerns a combination by means of which a record of transactions may be kept and a recustomer as his receipt. It is highly desirable- 15 that the work sheet or ticket be easy, to insert and remove. This ticket should, in many cases, be moved a different distance than the record sheet so as to space the printed matter on it at different distances than the matter appearing 20 on the record sheet. It is important that the ticket be moved accurately to its different printing positions and-held while the printing operation takes place, but this should be done without interfering with the ready insertion or removal 25 of the ticket. The present invention is directed to a solution of this problem. The general object of the invention is toprovide'an improved paper handling equipment for a machine of the class described.

so. A more particular object is toprovidean improved machine that will make a record of each transaction and, at the same time, will print on a work sheet or ticket that may be readily removed afterthe printing operation takes place 35 and another ticket inserted.

'Another object is to provide a mechanism of this kind that will grip and hold the ticket so that it will, be accurately moved to the proper printing position and held there while the print- 40 ing operation takes place.

Still another object is toprovide a machine of this chacracter that will enable the work sheet or ticket to be spaced differently than the record sheet and independently thereof.

45 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification and drawings.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

'60 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a calculating machine with the invention applied thereto, all parts being in normal position and a ticket or work sheet inserted in position prior tooperation of the machine;

so Fig. 2 is a partial section and side elevation en larged to show the means for holding and spacing the ticket;

Fig. 3 is a partial right side elevation and section showing particularly the ticket lifting means, the ticket being shown lifted to a position to 5 receive a second printing impression;

Fig. 4 isapartial left side .elevationshowing certain of the controls;

Fig. 5 is a partial right side elevation showing certain other controls; and

Fig. 6 illustrates a ticket and a record sheet spread apart to show the relation of the entries on each. r

The invention is shown associated with a Burroughs portable calculating machine of the type illustrated and described in Horton Patent No. 1,853,050. Portions of this machine have been illustrated in the present drawings and a brief description of some of the calculating machine features will be given here but reference is made to the above patent for details.

The machine is of the type that is given a forward and a return stroke of operation by hand or by a .motor, the machine illustrated being motor driven. The machine has a plurality'of banks of depressible amount keys l0, and-is provided with latch plates II for latching and lock- .ing the keys under certain conditions. The depressed amount keys control the movements of actuator racks i2 that are released during oper- 3o ations of the machine. At the time that the actuator racks are difierentially positioned in accordance with the amount keys depressed, or in accordance with the amount in the register when a total is taken, suitable type bars l3 are also differentially positioned and, during the latter part of the forward'stroke of the machine, a printing mechanism, including the hammers i4, is operated to drive the type bars rearward against the platen i5. 40

The machine has a main drive shaft i5 (Fig. 3'). whichis given a forward and a return stroke of .movement during each machine operation, the

forward stroke of the shaft being in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 andthe return stroke being in a clockwise direction." In the embodiment illustrated, the shaft 16 is driven by a motor, not shown, but the controls for which are illustrated in Fig. 3. These controls include an arm ll pivoted loosely on a shaft i8 and yieldingly connected by a spring l9 to a second arm 'MI'rigidly fixed to the shaft l8. Whenthe arm I! is rocked clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, its motion is transmitted through the spring is and the arm 20 to the'shaft l8 which is thus clockwise causes the motor to give the machine a stroke of operation. The platen i is line spaced during each return stroke of operation of the machine by mechanism indicated generally at 2! in Fig. 3.

The machine has one or more registers 22 for receiving items and from which totals may be taken.

The machine is also provided with total taking mechanism controlled by the keys T and ST;

with a non-add mechanism; and. with other calculating machine features such as disclosed in the patent above mentioned.

Record sheet control In the embodiment illustrated a record sheet 23 is passed underneath the platen from the rear and around the same so that the sheet will receive impressions from the printing mechanism. The record strip is held in feeding engagement with the platen l5 by feed rolls 2 3 so that the sheet is fed forward as the platen is line spaced. The upper end of the record strip passes into a lockable cdmpartment 25 (Fig. 1) access to which is controlled by a detachable key operating in the lock 25 so that only an authorized person may remove the record sheet from the machine.

Work sheet receiving and supporting means The ticket or work sheet is dropped into position by hand in front of the platen and, in this respect, the machine may be said to be a frontfeed machine.

For receiving the work sheet 35 there is provided a paper chute 38 which is preferably made of one piece of metal bent to the shape illustrated in Figs: 1 and 2. This chute comprises a back portion 32 and two spaced front portions '33 and 35. The front portions have forwardly extending arms 35 and 35 by means of which the chute is supported on pins 5? on the plate that .the type bars 83 are driven to printing position they strike the front ribbon and make an impression on the portion of the work sheet immediately to the rear. The rear ribbon web it makes a duplicate impression on the record work sheet 23 on the platen. The ribbon is preferably wound from one reel as over suitable guide posts I 55, Q5, Q5 and 55 back to another reel ll on the same side of the machine, suitable ribbon feeding mechanism and automatic ribbon reverse being provided, neither of which has been shown in this application, but suitable types of which are disclosed in the patent referred to.

No. 1 operation 2,012,320 rocked clockwise. The rocking of this shaft ;purposes of convenience, will be called the No. 1 operation key". The stem of key 50 is positioned over a projection 5!! on an arm 52 pivoted on a Y the motor to give the machine a stroke of operation.

Since the operator may wish to make many entries on the same date it should not be necessary for him to depress the date keys for each entry. Accordingly, provision has been made for locking the date keys depressed and, instead of making these keys releasable by means of the error key, as is usually the case, the keys can be released only by depression of the total key.

Referring to Fig. 4, each bank of keys in a regular machine is provided with a latch plate H urged forward, or to the left in Fig. 4, by aspring 5i. When one of the keys is depressed, the latch plate is cammed rearwardly against the tension of the spring 6i after which the plate moves forward and a nose 52 on the plate latches the depressed key in depressed position. The keys are then normally released as follows:

I Attached to the main drive'shaft i5 is a cam plate 528 carrying a stud 65 that normally engages the end of a member 65 slidably and rockably mounted on a frame stud 66, the member being urged clockwise about its pivot by a spring $1,

but normally held against such movement by the stud til. The forward end of the member 65 has a cam surface 68 adapted to cooperate with a control rod 59 extending across the front of the machine and suspended by arms, not shown, from a shaft 55. Pivoted on the shaft "is at the front of the machine are aplurality of members H which are connected by lugs 72 to the latch plates ii,

there being a member if for each bank of keys. Normally the lower ends of the members ll straddie the control shaft 69 as illustrated and described in the Horton patent referred to.

The normal position of the parts is illustrated in Fig. 4. During the forward stroke of the machine the stud 65 moves away from member 65 which is thereupon pulled rearwardly and upwardly by the spring Ml. During the return stroke of the machine the stud again engages the member '55 and, at that time, the cam surface 55 is immediately to the rear of the control rod 59. The result is that the control rod is moved clockwise about its pivot ill and the upper ends of the arms ii are moved to the rear to move the latch plates rearwardly to release the depressed keys.

In the present case only the members it for the banks of date keys are illustrated and these members do not straddle the control shaft 69. Instead these members are cut away, as illustrated in Fig. 5, at 73. These members have rearwardly projecting arms l t acting as zero stops for the index bars 75 of the machine. The urge of springs (ii on latch plates H tends to swing the members ll clockwise in Fig. 5 but means is provided to prevent this comprising a bail l5 pivoted on shaft 15 and urged by a spring ll against a limit bar '78.

By referring to Fig. 5, itwill be clear that when the shaft 69 rocked forward or counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5, the members 'II for the banks of date keys will not be rocked counterclockwise and the date keys will not be released, nor will the zero stops I4 move to position to arrest the index bars 15.

Positioned under the stem of the total key T (Fig. 4) is one arm of a bell crank lever pivoted at 8!. This bell crank lever has another arm 82 on which is pivoted a pawl 83 urged counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, by a spring 84'. The forward end of this pawl has a shoulder positioned over a lateral lug 86 on an arm of yoke 81 pivoted on the shaft ID. This yoke. extends across the machine and is provided with upstanding lugs 88 in front of the banks of date keys.

When the total key T is depressed, the bell crank 8U.82 is rocked clockwise (Fig. 4) which moves the pawl 83 forward until it is engaged by a stud 89. This rocks the yoke 81 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, and pushes the latch plates II of the banks of date keys to the rear to release these'keys. The latch plates II are yieldingly connected by springs to the zero stops id so that these are pulled to index-bar-releasing position if not already in that position.

In this manner the date keys are automatically released when a total is taken and they cannot be released in any other way. V The machine is provided with a suitable printing control mechanism, portions of which are shown in Fig. 3, so that certain sections of the printing mechanism can be disabled. The No. 1 operation key controls this mechanism so that, even though'some of the amount keys in the columns used for printing items are depressed, nevertheless, no printing will occur in these columns. 'In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, only the date, controlled by the three left hand banks, and a folio number, controlled by the next five banks, may be printed when the No. 1 operation key is depressed.

Depression of the No. 1 operation key also nonadds the machine so that nothing enters the register during the No. 1 machine operation. This non-add mechanism has not been shown but is disclosed in detail in the patent heretofore mentioned.

Wo rk sheet moving means The work sheet or ticket is moved upwardly in the paper chute and, as previously mentioned, this movement is independent of the platen.

Positionednear the lower part of the paper chute are two ticket lifting pawls I00 and It! (Fig. 1) which are spaced apart so as to lift each side of the ticket. These pawls are pivoted on the ends of arms I02 and I03 respectively of a yoke IM pivoted on a shaft I05.

The lifting pawls have shoulders I06 and I01 respectively which are adapted to engage the under side of the ticket to lift it. Normally these shoulders are forward in an inactive position, as shown in Fig. 1, but the pawls are provided with cam surfaces I08 (Fig. 2) which, when the pawls are raised, engage the edge of the slots I09 through which the pawls move, and this causes the pawls to swihg rearwardly so that the shoulders move under the bottom edge of the ticket for lifting the same.

One of the improved features of the machine is that the ticket is not only lifted but it is held while it is lifted and while printing occurs so that the ticket will not be thrown beyond the proper position but will be accurately moved to and held in the correct position. This result is accomplished by a very simple construction as follows:

Each of the lifting pawls is provided with an upward extension having a rounded head III], as illustrated in Fig. 3. The shape of the cam edge I 08 of the pawls is such that they are cammed rearward far enough to cause this rounded head III] to press the ticket into engagement with the rear portion 32 of the paper chute, the pressure being sufficient to firmly hold the ticket in position without interfering with its upward movement. The ticket is thus gripped at the same time that the shoulders of the lifting pawls are moved under the bottom edge of the ticket, then. as the lifting pawls move upward, the shoulders push up on the ticket and the-rounded heads hold the ticket so it will not jump or bound away when the pawls are stopped.

It is desirable to release the ticket after a printing operation so that it may be readily removed, and this is accomplished very simply by providing the rear edges of the lifting pawls with cam surfaces I I I (Fig. 2) adapted to engage adjustable abutment-s H2 which positively earn the pawls forward as they are lowered to normal position. This insures that the ticket will be released.

During the No. 1 operation of the machine the lifting pawls are not raised, for reasons that will presently appear, but, during the No. 2 operation,

the pawls are raised and they space the ticket a considerably greater distance than the normal line space movement of the platen, as shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed also that the ticket is not in feeding contact with the platen. It is raised independently of the platen, that is, it does not depend upon frictional engagement with the platen to be line spaced.

The yoke I04 whose arms carry the lifting pawls is yieldingly connected by a spring I I3, to another yoke II l having two arms H5 and H6. The arm I I6 normally engages the stud I39 on arm I50, as shown inFig. 1. The arm H5 has a forked end comprising a lower branch Ill and an upper branch H8. The upper branch carries a passby pawl H9 urged clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, by a spring I20, the pawl being limited in its clockwise movement by the engagement of a lateral lug I2I on the pawl with the edge of branch N8 of the arm H5:

The forked end of the arm H5, including the pivoted passby pawl I I9, is adapted to straddle a flattened stud I22 which is rocked during each machine operation. This stud is carried on an arm I23 (Fig. 3) of a yokejI24 pivoted at I25. This yoke has another arm I26 connected by a link I21 to the main driving cam I28 on the drive shaft I6. Each time the machine is given a stroke of operation the main driving cam I28 is moved counterclockwise to its Fig. 3 position and then returned clockwise to normal. During this movement the stud I22 is first raised from its Fig. 1 to its Fig. 3 position, then returned to its Fig. 1 position.

When the yoke H4 is in normal position, shown in Fig. 1, the passby pawl H9 is out of the path of the stud I22 and, when the stud is moved upwardly during a machine operation it does not engage the passby pawl and the operation is an idle one as far as rocking the yoke lid isconcerned. But, when the No. 2 operation of the machine is efiected these parts are conditioned for operation, as will presently appear.

chine.

N 0. 2 operation During the second operation of the machine the ticket is spaced and controlled as follows:

Prior to the second operation, the operatordepresses the amount keys corresponding to the amount of the item that is to be entered in the machine. The date keys remain depressed but do not print the date during the machine operation as will later appear.

The stem of the key i3@ is positioned over a lateral lug E3! on a portion of the motor control slide 55 so that depression of the key Hi moves the slide downwardly to rock the arm i! clockwise to cause the motor to give the machine a stroke of operation.

/ The stem of the key I30 is also positioned over a lug i32 (Fig. l) on a yoke i 33 pivoted on the stud 53 (Fig. 3). This yoke has a rearwardly extending arm I34 provided with a stud I135 positioned over one end of a lever i3dpivoted at I31. The other end of this lever has an upwardly extending cam end i38 positioned to cooperate with a stud H39 on an arm Bit pivoted at Mi to a side plate of the machine and urged clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, by a spring 142. i

When the key 530 is depressed the lever are is rocked counterclockwise. 'This moves the stud M 39 upward slightly and the latter rocks the yoke Ht clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1. This 'moves the. forked end ii"iii8 of arm Supward and forward so that this forked end now straddles the stud E22. Accordingly, when the stud I22 is rocked upwardly, as it is during the 'machine operation that is initiated by depression of a key H30, the stud E22 engages the passby pawl H9 and rocks the yokes i M and EM clockwise to raise the lifting pawls Ni and lot which operate as heretofore described.

During thereturn stroke of operation of the machine, the stud N22 is moved downwardly again. During this downward movement the stud engages the lower part iii of the forked end of arm l i and forcibly rocks the yoke H4 counterclockwise to normal. The yoke 5M has a lug I50 (Fig. 1) positioned behind the edge of the arm H5 so, that, 'as the arm H5 is returned to normal, the yoke "M will be forcibly returned to normal. In this manner the lifting pawls are returned positively to normal and they are positively released by the action'of the cams iii, heretofore described.

The No. 2 operation key I30 does not non-add the machine when it is depremed, hence the item entered on the amountkeys will be added in the register during the No. 2 operation The No. 2 operation key conditions mechanism that blocks printing in the date section of the machine and thedate will not be printed during the No. 2 operation even though the date key are depressed.

gripping means being positively released.

of the ma- At the end-of the No. 2 operation the tension of spring M2 returns the lever Mil clockwise and the stud 0'39 returns lever it to normal.

It is to be understood that the construction,

shown is for purposes of illustration only and that variations may be made in it without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A front-feed machine of the class described,

having a platen, means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding relation thereto, front-feed means for receiving and loosely supporting a work sheet in printing position in front of said platen but out of feeding contact therewith, means operating automatically during a machine operation to line space said platen and means operating automatically during the same machine operation to grip said front-fed work sheet and mOVG thB same to a different printing position.

2. A front-feed machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding relation thereto, front-feed means for receivingand loosely supporting a work sheet in substantially vertical position in front. of said platen but out of feeding contact therewith, means acting automatically during a machine operation to line space said platen, means operating automatically during the same machine operation to grip said work sheet and raise the same vertically a considerably greater distance than the line space movement of the platen, and means automatically releasing said work sheet after a printing operation has taken place.

3,.A front-feed machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding relation thereto, a vertical paper chute positioned in front of said platen to receive and loosely supporta work sheet in printing position in front of said platen but out of feeding contact therewith, said paper chute having a back plate, and means operating automatically during a machine operation to releasably press said work sheet into contact with said back plate and to raise said sheet to a new printing position while it is so held, said last named means automatically releasing said work sheet after a printing operation has taken place.

4. A front-feed machine of the class described having a platen, means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding relation thereto, front-feed means for receiving and holding a work sheet in substantially vertical printing position in front of said platen but out of feeding contact therewith, means operating automatically to line space said platen during a machine operation, and means operating automatically duringthesamemachine operation to raise said work sheet independently of movement of the platen to line space the same said latter means including means to prevent over-movement of said work sheet when being line spaced.

5. A front-faced machine of the class described having a platen, 'means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding relation thereto, front-feed means for receiving and loosely supporting a worksheet in printing position in front of said platen but out of feeding contact therewith, means operating automatically during a machine operation to line space said platen, and means operating automatically during the same machine operation to gnp the the same direction as the platen but for a considerably difierent distance, and means operating to release said work sheet during the latter part of said machine operation.

6. Aimachine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen means for hold-- ing a record sheet about said platen means for receiving awork sheet and loosely supporting the same in printing position relative to said platen but out of feedingcontact therewith means for line spacing said record sheet during a machine operation, means including sheet-engaging members acting automatically during a machine operation to line spacesaid work sheet inde-' pendently of the platen, and cam means causing said members to grip said work sheetwhile it is being line spaced.

'7. A machine of the class de scribed having a printing mechanism, a platen, a vertical paper chute adapted to receive and loosely support a work sheet in substantially verticalprinting position relative to said platen but out of feeding contact therewith,'lifting members engaging an edge of saidsheet, means acting automaticallyduring a machine operation to raise said members to line space said sheet, and cam means causing said members to also grip said sheet while it is being raised. I

8. A machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, aplaten, a vertical paper chute adapted to loosely receive and loosely support a work sheet in substantially vertical print-' ing position, said paper chute having a back plate,

lifting members for engagingsaid work sheet to raise the same, means acting automatically during an operation of the machine to raise said members to lift said work sheet, and cam means causing said members to releasably press said work sheet against said back plate while said work sheet is being raised. L

9. A machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, a vertical paper chute adapted to receive and loosely support a work sheet in substantially vertical printing position, lifting members adapted to engage an edge of said sheet, said members being normally out of effective position, means operating automatically during a machine operation to-raise said members to lift said sheet, and cam meansrautomatically moving said members to efiective position as they are raised, said cam means also causing said members to grip said-sheet to hold it while it is being line spaced.

10. A'machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, means for receiving a work sheet and loosely supporting the same in printing position relative to said platen but out of feeding contact therewith, means including sheetengaging members engaging the lower edge of said sheet and acting automatically during a machine operation to line space said work sheet independently of said platen, cam means causing said members to also grip said work sheet while it is being linerspaced, and cam means causing said members to release said work sheet during the latter part of the machine operation. r

- 11. A machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, a vertical paper chute adapted to receive and loosely support a work sheet in' substantially vertical printing position, said paper chute having a back plate, lifting members for engaging saidwork sheet to raise it, means acting automatically during an operation of the machine to raise said members to lift said work, sheet, cam means causing said members to releasably press said work sheet against said back plate while said work sheet is being raised to prevent over-movement of the v work sheet, and cam means acting on said members to move themto paper releasing position during the latter part of the machine operation that raises said work sheet.

12. A machine of the class described having a keyboard, a printing mechanism, a platen, means for receiving and loosely supporting a work sheet in substantially vertical printing position relative to said platen but out of feeding contacttherewith, means engaging an edge of said work sheet and gripping said work sheet to move ,the same, normally inactive means for raising said engaging and gripping means, and connections controlled by a manipulative member on the keyboard for placing said raising means in effective condition and to cause it to operate automatically during a machine operation to raise said gripping means to cause the latter to grip said work sheet and move it to and hold it in a new printing position and means automatically releasing said gripping means during the latter part of the machine operation.

13. A machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding relation thereto, means for receiving a work sheet and loosely supporting the same in printing position-relative to said platen so that a printing impression may be made on said sheet, but out of feeding contact therewith, means other than said platen operating automatically as the machine is operated to grip said work sheet and move the same within said holding means to line space the work sheet to a second printing position relative to said platen, and means automatically releasing said gripping means to free said work sheet after a printing operation has occurred so that said sheet is loosely supported in said holding means free for removal until the next machine operation.

14. A machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, means for holding a record sheetabout said platen in feeding relation thereto, means for receiving a work sheet and loosely supporting the same in printing position relative to said platen so that a printing impression may be made on said, sheet, but out of feeding contact therewith, means other than said platen engaging an edge of said work sheet and operating automatically as the machine is operated to grip and move the same within said holding means to line space the work sheet to a second printing position relative to said platen and to grip said work sheet to prevent over-movement and loosely supportingthe same in printing positlon relative to said platen so that a printing impression may be made on said sheet, but out of feeding contact therewith, means other than said platen engaging an edge of said work sheet and operating automaticallyas the machine is operated to move the same within said holding means to line space the work sheet to a second printing position relative to said platen, said means also engaging the surface of said work sheet to grip the latter to prevent over-movement thereof beyond said second printing position, and means for automatically releasing said gripping means to printing position relative to said platen so that a printing impression may be made on said sheet. but out of feeding contact therewith, means other than said platen operating automatically as the machine is operated to releasably grip said work sheet against said back portion and to move the same within said holding means to line space the work sheet to a second printing position relative to said platen while it is so held, and means automatically releasing said gripping means to free said work sheet during the latter portion of the machine operation, so that said sheet is loosely supported in said holding means free for removal until the next machine operation.

17. A machine of the class described having a printing mechanism, a platen, means for holding a record sheet about said platen in feeding rela-.

tion thereto, a paper chute provided with a back portion, said chute being adapted to receive a work sheet and loosely support the same in printing position relative to said platen so that a printing impression may be made on said sheet, but out of feeding contact therewith, reciprocating lifting pawls operating automatically as the machine is operated to releasably grip said work sheet against said back portion and to move the same within said holding means to line space the work sheet to a second printing position relative to said platen while it is so held, and means automatically releasing said gripping means to free said work sheet during the latter portion of the machine operation so that said sheet is loosely supported in said holding means free for re-,- moval until the next machine operation.

ERNEST RACZ. 

